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SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM), the North America-based retailer that
specializes in high-quality products for the home, today announced that
its iconic brands, Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids, opened today at
Central Square, Bonifacio High Street, the premier retail destination in
Manila. As part of William-Sonoma, Inc.’s strategic global expansion,
these stores are the first Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids locations
in Southeast Asia.

“It’s exciting to see our first Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids
stores opening in Southeast Asia,” said Laura Alber, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “We’re pleased to partner with
Store Specialists, Inc. to bring our exceptional home furnishings,
unique in-store offerings and world class service to customers in
Manila. Our location at Bonifacio High Street gives us the opportunity
to showcase Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids in a unique way and
deliver on our company promise to enhance customers’ lives at home.”

“We are very much privileged to bring the first Pottery Barn and Pottery
Barn Kids retail stores to the Philippines,” said Anthony Huang,
Executive Vice President of Stores Specialists, Inc. “The country’s
retail market continues to grow and expand to cater to consumers’ home
needs. A home is a very special place and we at SSI are thrilled to
offer unique, stylish and high-quality home products from the Pottery
Barn brands and provide customers the top-notch service they expect and
deserve.”

Debuting with the summer 2014 collection, the stores feature iconic home
furnishing collections alongside textiles, accessories and entertaining
essentials. Designed exclusively for Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids
by in-house designers and expert craftsmen who draw inspiration from
around the world, the product collections provide everything customers
need to decorate and entertain in their home.

Pottery Barn was founded on the idea that home furnishings should be
exceptional in comfort, quality, style, and value and the Manila store
reflects this ethos. Organized according to lifestyle displays, the
store is designed to inspire customers and make shopping easy and
enjoyable. There are destinations within the store dedicated to living
rooms, outdoor spaces, dining rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as
feature walls that display lighting, rugs, and window treatments.
Focused displays on bedding, dinnerware, frames, and candles are also
featured throughout the retail floor.

Dedicated to providing quality, style and value, Pottery Barn Kids
offers innovative, child-friendly products for nurseries, bedrooms and
play spaces. Product categories available in the Manila store include
furniture, bedding, bathroom accessories, window treatments, rugs,
lighting, decorative accessories, toys, nursery essentials, and gear
such as luggage, backpacks, and reusable lunch bags. Similar to Pottery
Barn, the collections are organized into lifestyle displays for
inspiration and ease of shopping.

At the center of each store is Design Studio, a destination for
customers to get expert advice from specially trained associates. Design
Specialists assist customers with all of their decorating needs, from
furniture selection and room planning to entertaining ideas. It is a
complimentary service that is part of the distinctive shopping
experience at Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids.

Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) – a member of The SSI Group – is a wholly
Filipino-owned corporation established in 1987 with the mission of
pioneering into freestanding specialty store concepts. It broke ground
in specialty retailing by expanding its distribution through
freestanding stores in prime shopping malls in Metro Manila. Through the
last two decades, SSI grew its retailing operations by acquiring the
exclusive marketing and franchise rights to some of the finest and most
prestigious international brands in the world. It is now the leading
specialty store retailer in the Philippines, trading over 600 stores to
date.